Alberta Well Data vs Public Records: Which Source for What

Industry Overview: A Transparent but Fragmented Data Environment

Alberta operates one of the most transparent oil and gas data regimes in North America, but transparency does not mean simplicity. Well information is spread across several public sources, each built for a distinct regulatory purpose. The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) publishes ST37 for well records; Petrinex reports production and injection; the Alberta Open Data portal offers bulk downloads and APIs; and AlbertaWellFinder provides a point-and-click lookup. For oilfield service companies, suppliers, and consultants, the skill is not finding data — it is knowing which source answers which question. Using ST37 to estimate production, or Petrinex to build a geographic list, wastes hours and produces gaps. This guide gives you the decision framework to pick the right source every time.

Whether you serve fracturing services, abandonment and reclamation, or production optimization, the right source combination determines the quality of your prospecting. Our data sources and methodology guide breaks down each source in depth.

Overview of Alberta Well Data Sources

Alberta has one of the most transparent oil and gas data environments in North America. Multiple public sources publish well records, production data, operator filings, and regulatory information. For oilfield service companies, suppliers, and consultants, knowing which source to use for which research task saves hours of dead-end searching and prevents reliance on data that does not match the question you are trying to answer.

The four primary sources you will encounter are the AER ST37 dataset, Petrinex, the Alberta Open Data portal, and AlbertaWellFinder. Each publishes overlapping but distinct information. ST37 is the go-to for well-level records. Petrinex is the authority on production and royalties. Open Data provides bulk downloads and programmatic access. AlbertaWellFinder offers a point-and-click search interface for quick lookups.

The challenge is not finding data — it is knowing which source gives you reliable, complete information for your specific research need. A sales team building a target operator list needs different data than a consultant verifying well status or an engineer reviewing production history. Using the wrong source produces gaps, inconsistencies, and wasted effort.

AER ST37 Explained

The AER ST37 dataset is the foundational well-record file published by the Alberta Energy Regulator. It contains public Alberta well records with fields covering well identification numbers, well status, operator name and number, location data including township and range, well type and classification, spud dates, and licence information. If you need to identify, filter, or organize wells by status, location, operator, or type, ST37 is your starting point.

ST37 is updated periodically and available for free download from both the AER website and the Alberta Open Data portal. The file is large — typically hundreds of thousands of rows — and it includes wells across all status categories: active, inactive, suspended, abandoned, and others. The breadth is what makes it useful for market research, but it also means you need a filtering strategy before you open the file.

The strength of ST37 is well identification and classification. It tells you what exists, where it is, who operates it, and what its regulatory status is. The weakness is that it does not provide production volumes, economic data, or operator financial context. For those, you need to look at other sources.

ST37 is the right choice when you are building a well list for outreach, filtering by well status or location, cross-referencing wells against operator names, or starting a research project that requires well-level records as the foundation.

Petrinex Public Data

Petrinex is the joint venture between the Alberta Energy Regulator and the Canada Revenue Agency that manages provincial production and royalty data. It is the authoritative source for well-level production volumes, facility production, and royalty information. If your research requires knowing how much a well produced, when production changed, or what royalty obligations exist, Petrinex is the correct source.

Petrinex data is more granular than ST37 in the production dimension. It includes monthly production volumes by well, facility-level aggregation, and historical production trends. This data helps you assess whether an operator is ramping up, declining, or maintaining steady output — which is directly relevant to predicting service demand.

The trade-off is that Petrinex does not serve as a well-record database the way ST37 does. It does not provide the same breadth of well identification fields, status classifications, or licence details. Researchers typically use ST37 to identify wells and operators, then pull Petrinex data to add production context to the wells that pass initial filtering.

Petrinex is the right choice when you need production history for a well or operator, want to assess production trends across a region, or need to verify production-related details before outreach. It is not the right starting point for building a broad well list or filtering by status and location.

Alberta Open Data Portal

The Alberta Open Data portal (open.alberta.ca) hosts a wide range of provincial datasets, including AER well records, pipeline data, facility information, and regulatory filings. It is often the most convenient source for bulk downloads and API access. Many of the datasets available here overlap with what you can get from the AER website directly, but Open Data adds standardized formats and programmatic access.

Open Data is particularly useful when you need to combine multiple datasets or work with the data programmatically. The portal provides CSV downloads, JSON feeds, and API endpoints that let you pull data into scripts, databases, or research platforms without manual file handling. If you are building automated workflows or integrating AER data into your own systems, Open Data is the most practical access point.

The portal also hosts datasets that go beyond well records. Pipeline data, facility data, and environmental monitoring datasets are all available through Open Data. For researchers who need to cross-reference well data with infrastructure context, the portal provides a single access point for multiple complementary sources.

Open Data is the right choice for bulk downloads, API access, combining multiple datasets, or programmatic research workflows. It is not a research tool — it is a data access layer. You still need to download, filter, and interpret the data yourself.

AlbertaWellFinder Comparison

AlbertaWellFinder is a public search interface provided by the AER that allows users to look up individual wells by well identifier, licence number, or location. It is designed for quick lookups rather than bulk research, and it provides a user-friendly way to check well details without downloading datasets.

AlbertaWellFinder is useful when you have a specific well in mind and need to verify its status, operator, location, or licence details. For example, if you receive a referral to a specific well or need to confirm details before a site visit, AlbertaWellFinder provides instant access to the public record for that well.

The limitation is that AlbertaWellFinder is not designed for bulk research. You cannot filter thousands of wells at once, build a watchlist, save searches, or export results to a spreadsheet. It is a lookup tool, not a research workflow. For anything beyond verifying a single well, you need ST37 or a research platform built on top of AER data.

AlbertaWellFinder is the right choice for quick single-well lookups, verifying details before outreach, and checking well status when you already have an identifier. It is not the right choice for building target lists, monitoring operators, or conducting systematic market research.

When to Use Which Source

Choosing the right source comes down to what you need to accomplish. Here is a practical decision framework:

Building a target list of wells or operators — start with AER ST37. It provides the broadest well-level records with status, location, and operator fields. Apply your filters to narrow the list, then enrich with other sources as needed.

Checking production history for a well or operator — use Petrinex. It is the authoritative source for monthly production volumes and production trends. Cross-reference with ST37 for well identification details.

Downloading data programmatically or in bulk — use the Alberta Open Data portal. It provides API access, standardized formats, and multiple complementary datasets in one location.

Looking up a specific well quickly — use AlbertaWellFinder. It provides instant access to well details without downloading files or building filters.

Researching an operator before outreach — combine sources. Use ST37 to find the operator's wells, Petrinex to assess production activity, and a research platform like FracturingHub to bring it together in a workspace with notes and saved searches.

Monitoring for changes over time — raw data files do not change automatically. A research platform with watchlists and saved searches is more practical than re-downloading and re-filtering datasets on a schedule.

Combining Sources for Better Research

The most effective researchers do not rely on a single source. They use each dataset for what it does best and combine them to build a complete picture. A typical workflow starts with ST37 to identify wells and operators, adds Petrinex data for production context, pulls Open Data for infrastructure or facility context, and uses a research platform to organize the combined findings into a reusable workspace.

The key to combining sources is understanding the primary keys that link them. Well identifiers and operator numbers are the common threads across AER datasets. When you can match records across sources using these keys, you can build a multi-dimensional view of a well or operator that no single dataset provides on its own.

FracturingHub simplifies this combining process by ingesting public AER data and organizing it into linked well and operator views. Instead of manually matching records across separate CSV files, you get a workspace where wells, operators, and status information are already connected and searchable.

Common Mistakes When Choosing a Data Source

Using ST37 for production data — ST37 does not include production volumes. If you need production history, you need Petrinex or a research platform that includes production context.

Using Petrinex for well identification — Petrinex is production-focused. It does not provide the same breadth of status, location, and licence fields that ST37 does. Use ST37 for well identification and Petrinex for production context.

Expecting AlbertaWellFinder to do bulk research — it is a lookup tool, not a research platform. If you need to filter, sort, and export thousands of records, you need ST37 or a research platform.

Not verifying data freshness — every source has its own update schedule. Always note the date of the data you are working with and verify key facts before outreach.

Assuming one source is complete — no single dataset covers everything. ST37 has well records but no production. Petrinex has production but limited well classification. Open Data has breadth but no research workflow. AlbertaWellFinder has convenience but no bulk capability. Knowing the gaps in each source prevents incomplete research.

Comparison Table: Source by Task

Decision Framework: Triangulation

For any serious research question, triangulate across at least two sources. Need to know if an operator is healthy? Cross ST37 status mix with Petrinex production trend. Need to know if a well will be abandoned? Cross ST37 inactive status with AER filings. No single source answers the whole question, and the discipline of combining them is what separates a credible prospect list from a generic export.

Best Practices and Common Mistakes Checklist

• Do match records on UWI or operator number, normalizing formats first.
• Do note each source's update date before relying on figures.
• Do use Open Data APIs for automated, repeatable refreshes.
• Don't use ST37 to estimate production volumes.
• Don't use AlbertaWellFinder for bulk filtering or export.
• Don't assume any single source is complete or current.

Safety and Compliance Notes

Public data describes regulated assets that may be hazardous. Before acting on any record — particularly abandoned, suspended, or orphan wells — confirm current status and authorization, and follow oilfield safety standards. The AER and CAPP publish the safety and operating practices that govern site access, and the fracturing glossary defines the technical terms used across these datasets.

Glossary of Key Terms

• ST37: AER public well-record dataset for every Alberta well.
• Petrinex: Production and royalty reporting system for Alberta wells.
• Alberta Open Data: Provincial portal with bulk downloads and APIs.
• AlbertaWellFinder: AER web lookup for individual wells.
• UWI: Unique Well Identifier, the join key across datasets.
• Operator number: Stable key for grouping wells by ownership.
• AER: Alberta Energy Regulator, primary authoritative source.
• Flowback / produced water: Fluids measured in Petrinex injection and production context.

Summary

Alberta's well data is rich but fragmented. ST37 tells you a well's condition and ownership; Petrinex tells you its production; Open Data gives you scale and automation; AlbertaWellFinder gives you speed for single-well checks. The researchers who win are those who pick the right source for each question and triangulate across them. Start with the data sources methodology guide and pair it with the ST37 guide to build a repeatable workflow.

Related Resources

Continue with the ST37 well data guide, the UWI explained guide, the licence numbers guide, the inactive well guide, and the Alberta oilfield data sources guide. For building lists, see the prospect list guide.